Then & Now: Ninth and Cincinnati Streets, 1907

Then and Now: Ninth and Cincinnati streets, 1907

A view looking south of businesses that lined North Ninth Street between Cincinnati and Brown streets. The "then" photo was taken in 1907, before Jefferson High School - now called Old Jeff - was built in 1912. The 1907 city directory shows that the east side of the block offered a range in shops, from a barber shop at 501 N. Ninth St. to People's Storage Co. at 525-527 N. Ninth St. Other businesses included a cobbler at 517 N. Ninth St. and Indiana Art Glass Co. at 507-509 N. Ninth St. The block of businesses was razed when construction of the Jefferson High School gymnasium began in 1927. Before the gym construction began, the school board, mayor, city council and state authorities debated the cost, the design and the wisdom of closing Elizabeth Street between Ninth and 10th streets. A court ruling finally approved vacation of the street and the project, in general. The Old Jeff gym was razed in 1982 to make way for a parking lot used by Ivy Tech Community College, who acquired the Old Jeff buildings in 1971. The German Brown Street Episcopal Methodist Church, now Brown Street United Methodist, steeple stands in the background.